Electric vacuum cleaner



Nov. 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 23, 1958 INVENTORS a. FOGLE 4 I 5 H/ II I] x & I a. Q O 0/ w M 9 O l 3 2 5 S Q 3 3 w 2 4 W a a 3 a x 8 I 6 2 7 5 v 5 o 2 M B... 4 2 m WALLII'IEAQMLEE L BY WI ATTORNEY I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. LEE ETAL ELECTRIC VACUUM CLEANER Nov. 29, 1960 Filed Dec. 25, 1958 T L R m %m E W. E w 1M. A M n mm T L Mu WOC ww Y B m0 m0 m0 2. mm

+w h on 6 mm E mv mm 3 mn 6 v 8 H W a 2.4 5 Nm v hm mm 8 on W m W W M fi v w@/%%v 4/ 9 3 9 c i wv I 9/, Q Q WK} v x w a J 8 2,962,118 Etacrmc VACUUM CLEANER Walter Lee, Towson, and William B. Fogle, Baltimore,

Md., assignors to The Black and Decker Manufacturing Company, Towson, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Dec. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 782,570

7 Claims. 01. 183-37) The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner for use in automobile service stations, garages, industrial plants, warehouses, schools, and the like, and more specifically, to such an electric vacuum cleaner that is unusually quiet and vibration-free during its operation.

It is a specific object of the present invention to greatly curtail the noise (ordinarily generated during the operation of an electric vacuum cleaner) by means which includes resiliently suspending the entire motor and fan assembly completely within the hollow tank-like receptacle, and which further includes providing a pair of conveniently-constructed air plenum chambers, each of which has suitable sound deadening material disposed therein.

It is another object of the present invention to provid an electric vacuum cleaner that is easy to assemble and disassemble, and which is quite economical to produce in large quantities.

Further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification when taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawing in which:

Figure l is an elevational View of the entire electric i' tates i ate'nt flange 22 and comprises a generally inverted truncated conical shape which surrounds the motor and fan assembly 20. The dust bag 21 is made of a suitable filtering material and is sufficiently porous to allow the air to flow through it, yet precludes the passage of dirt, soot, and other particles into the motor and fan assembly 20. A suitable bag spreader 23 is provided and is secured to the fan assembly 20 so as to prevent the dust bag 21 from being drawn into the fan during the operation of the vacuum cleaner 10.

A cover 24 is provided having a main disc-shaped portion 25 thereof, and further having an integral depending is secured to the tank 11 by means of spring-clamping vacuum cleaner with part of the tank receptacle being broken away to show the motor and fan assembly in full, and also with part of the dome and cover broken away to further show the details of construction and novel arrangement of parts in sectional view; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged view (completely in section) of a portion of Figure 1 showing the means for resiliently mounting the motor and fan assembly completely within the tank, and further showing the dual air plenum chambers and the convenient manner for forming the same.

With particular reference to Figure 1, there is illustrated an electric vacuum cleaner 19 having a hollow upright tank receptacle 11, preferably of cylindrical shape, having a closed bottom 12 and an open top 13. The tank 11 is mounted upon a suitable base assembly 14, which preferably may include a pair of wheels 15 and a caster 16; otherwise, the details of construction of the base assembly 14 are conventional and hence may be omitted. Likewise, the wiring details, being conventional, are omitted herein for ease of understanding. Also, the vacuum cleaner 10 may be guided and moved about by means of a suitable handle 17.

Within one of the Walls of the tank receptacle 11 there is further provided an inlet opening 19, to which may be connected a conventional vacuum cleaner hose and nozzle; and conventional means are also provided within the tank (not shown) so as to cause the air upon entering the tank to be directed downwardly into the tank and thence up into the upper portion thereof as shown by the small arrows.

A motor and integral fan assembly 20 is resiliently suspended completely within the tank 11 in a manner hereinafter to be described in detail. The details of construction of the motor and fan assembly 20 are conventional and hence are omitted herein for ease of illustration. A suitable dust bag 21 is secured to a retaining provided by suitable latches, one of which is shown at 29. It will be appreciated that the retaining flange 22 is imbedded within the cover seal 28, and that the dust bag 21 is secured to the retaining flange 22 by means of an annular retaining wire 30.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, there also is provided a mounting flange 31, which includes a cylindrical shell 32 terminating at its upper portion in an annular outwardly projecting lip 33, and terminating at its lower portion thereof in another annular lip 34 which projects inwardly. A mounting ring 35 is provided which is made of a suitable resilient material (such as rubber) and which comprises an outer annular portion 36, an intermediate annu lar portion 37, and an inner annular portion 38 thereof. The housing for the motor and fan assembly 20 includes a first annular rear flange 39; and a web-like field case cover 40 is provided, which has a second annular rear flange 41. The inner annular portion 38 of the resilient mounting ring 35 is confined between the aforementioned first and second annular rear flanges 39 and 41; and a plurality of clamping bolts 42 are provided, not only to secure the field case cover 40 to the motor and fan assembly 20, but likewise to simultaneously and securely clamp the inner annular portion 38 of the resilient mounting ring between the first and second annular rear flanges 39 and 41.

There is also provided an inverted saucer-shaped baflle 43, which includes a main disc-shaped base portion 44 thereof having a central opening 45 therein, and which further includes a cylindrical shell portion 46 thereof depending downwardly from the base portion 44 of the baffle 43. The shell 46 terminates at its lowermost portion thereof in an annular lip 47 which projects outwardly. It will be seen from the drawings (particularly Figure 2) that the uppermost portion of the cylindrical shell 32 of the mounting flange 31, as well as the lowermost portion of the cylindrical shell 46 of the baflle 43, each terminate in respective outwardly projecting annular lips 33 and 47; and that these lips 33 and 47 are overlapped and are secured not only to each other, but also, to the inner annular portion of the main discshaped portion 25 of the cover 24, by means of suitable spacer screws 48 and retaining nuts 49.

It will be appreciated that the space between the bafile 43 on one hand, and the mounting flange 31, mounting ring 35, and field case cover 40 on the other hand, will thus define a first air plenum chamber 50 which will receive the air that is discharged from the motor and fan assembly 20 as shown by the small arrows.

Means are also provided to securely clamp the outer annular portion 36 of the resilient mounting ring 35, such means taking the convenient form of a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, L-shaped feet 51. Each of'the feet 51 includes a flat base portion 52 thereof which 3 lies flat against the inner cylindrical walls of the shell portion 46 of the baffle 43 and is secured thereto as by spot welding. Also, each of the feet 51 further includes an integral foot portion 53 thereof disposed at right angles to the flat base portion 52 and projecting inwardly therefrom.

In the assembly of the vacuum cleaner 10, the resilient mounting ring 35 has its inner annular portion 38 thereof clamped partially between the first and second annular rear flanges 39 and 41, respectively; the integral motor and fan assembly 20 is placed on the mounting flange 31 such that the outer annular portion 36 of the mounting ring 35 will rest on the annular lip 34 (as shown in the enclosed drawings), and it will be appreciated that as the clamping bolts 42 securely clamp the inner annular portion 38 of the mounting ring 35 between the first and second annular rear flanges 39 and 41, respectively, that the outer annular portion 36 of mounting ring 35 will expand radially and thus will be tightly pressed against the cylindrical shell portion 32 of mounting flange 31. Then, when batfle 43 is mounted upon cover 24, the outer annular portion 36 of mounting ring 35 Will be securely clamped between the feet 51 and the annular lip portion 34 of the mounting flange 31.

There is also provided an inverted saucer-shaped dome 54 disposed above the baffle 43 so as to form therebetween a second air plenum chamber 55 which communicates with the first air plenum chamber 50 by means of the central opening 45 in the main base portion 44 of the batfle 43. The dome 54 is secured to the cover 24 by means of the same spacer screws 48, which also secure the mounting flange 31 and the baffle 43 to the cover 24; and each of the spacer screws 48 has a main collar portion 56 thereof disposed between the cover 24 and the dome 54 so that the air that is gathered within the second air plenum chamber 55 may be radially diffused to the outside atmosphere as indicated generally at 57. Moreover, a suitable annular depression or dwell 58 provided within the main base portion 25 of the cover 24 so as to further accommodate the radial diffusion of the air being discharged.

Each of the first and second air plenum chambers 50 and 55, respectively, has suitable sound deadening material (preferably felt) disposed on its inner wall surface so as to further curtail the noise. As shown on the drawings, a felt lining 59 is provided on the inner surface of the base portion 44 of the baffle 43, and another felt lining 60 is provided on the inner surface of the central portion of the dome 54.

To sum up, an electric vacuum cleaner is provided which is unusually noise-free and vibration-free in its operation; and the means of accomplishing this objective features the resilient mounting of the entire motor and fan assembly 20 completely within the tank receptacle 11 and depending downwardly into the tank 11 from a plane which is substantially coincident with the top 13 of the tank 11, in combination with a pair of air plenum chambers 50 and 55, respectively, and the radial diffusion 57 of the discharged air to the outside atmosphere. The objectives are accomplished economically and easily by a construction and arrangement of parts which includes a mounting flange 31, the resilient mounting ring 35, the first and second annular rear flanges 39 and 41, respectively, the baffle 43, the dome 54, and the intervening spacer screws 48 between the dome 54 and the baflle 43 and cover 24. The baflle lining 59 and the dome lining 61 serve as a supplementary noise-deadening means to still further curtail the noise that has already been confined and generally subdued in the first instance, not only by the resilient suspension of the entire motor and fan assembly 20 downwardly into the tank 11 from a plane which is substantially coincident with the open top 13 of the tank 11, but also by means of the dual air plenum chambers 50 and 55.

It is seen that the present invention fulfills a need fora compact, eflicient, noise-free and vibration-free electric vacuum cleaner that may be quickly and easily and economically assembled in mass production, or disassembled for rapid servicing or repairs. Moreover, it is apparent that slight modifications and improvements could be accomplished without departing from the basic spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.

I claim.

1. A noise-free and vibration-free electric vacuum cleaner, comprising, a hollow upright tank receptacle having a closed bottom and an open top and further having an inlet opening in one wall thereof for the passage of air therethrough, an inverted saucer-shaped cover positioned above said open top of said tank, said cover including a main disc-shaped portion having a central opening therein, and further including an integral depending outer annular flange having an annular lip portion thereof removably-secured to the upper periphery of said open top of said tank, a mounting flange including a cylindrical shell secured at its uppermost portion thereof within said central opening of said main portion of said cover and depending downwardly therefrom to terminate in an annular lip portion of said mounting flange, said annular lip defining a central opening in said mounting flange and being disposed on a level substantially coincident with said open top of said tank, a mounting ring formed from a resilient material and comprising an outer annular portion thereof, an intermediate annular portion thereof, and an inner annular portion thereof, said outer annular portion of said mounting ring being positioned upon said inwardly-projecting annular lip portion of said mounting flange, a motor and fan assembly, means to secure the uppermost portion of said motor and fan assembly to said inner annular portion of said mounting ring, whereby said motor and fan assembly is completely disposed within said tank and is resiliently suspended therein downwardly from a plane substantially coincident with said open top of said tank, means to securely clamp said outer annular portion of said mounting ring against said mounting flange and against said annular lip portion thereof, a dust bag having its open mouth thereof secured adjacent to the periphery of said open top of said tank and depending downwardly therefrom within said tank between the wall thereof and said motor and fan assembly, spreading means to prevent said dust bag from being drawn against said motor and fan assembly, an inverted saucer-shaped bafiie including a main disc-shaped base portion thereof having a central opening therein, and further including a cylindrical shell portion thereof depending downwardly from said base portion of said baflle, means to secure the lowermost portion of said shell portion of said baflle adjacent said central opening in said cover, the space between said bafile on the one hand, and said mounting flange, mounting ring, and said extreme uppermost portion of said motor and fan assembly on the other hand, thus defining a first air plenum chamber to receive the air discharged from said motor and fan assembly, an inverted saucer-shaped dome disposed above said baflie so as to form therebetween a second air plenum chamber communicating with said first air plenum chamber by means of said central opening in said main base portion of said baflle, and spacer means to secure said dome to said cover so as to form therebetween an annular exhaust opening, whereby the air in said second air plenum chamber may be diffused radially to the outside atmosphere.

2. A noise-free and vibration-free electric vacuum cleaner as described in claim 1, wherein said uppermost portion of said cylindrical shell of said mounting flange, and said lowermost portion of said cylindrical shell of said baflie each terminate in respective outwardly-projecting annular lips, each of said lips being overlapped and being secured to each other and to an inner annular portion of said main disc-shaped portion of said cover,

whereby said mounting flange and said bafile are each secured within said central opening in said cover.

3. A noise-free and vibration-free electric vacuum cleaner as described in claim 1, wherein said spacer means to secure said dome to said cover comprises, a plurality of spacer screws, each of said spacer screws having a main collar portion thereof disposed between said cover and said dome.

4. A noise-free and vibration-free electric vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 3, wherein said spacer screws also secure said mounting flange and said baflie within said central opening in said cover as well as secure said dome to said cover.

5. A noise-free and vibration-free electric vacuum cleaner as described in claim 1, wherein sound-deadening material is disposed on the inner surface of said main base portion of said batfle around said central opening therein, and wherein sound-deadening material is further disposed on the inner surface of a central portion of said dome.

6. A noise-free and vibration-free electric vacuum cleaner as described in claim 1, wherein said means to secure the uppermost portion of said motor and fan assembly to said inner annular portion of said mounting ring comprises, a first annular rear flange integral with the motor and fan assembly, a field case cover including a second annular rear flange disposed in spaced parallel relationship above said first annular rear flange, said inner annular portion of said resilient mounting ring being confined between said first and second annular rear flanges, and a plurality of clamping bolts securing said field case cover to said motor and fan assembly and simultaneously securely clamping said inner annular portion of said resilient mounting ring between said first and second annular rear flanges.

7. A noise-free and vibration-free electric vacuum cleaner as described in claim 1, wherein said means to securely clamp said outer annular portion of said mounting ring against said mounting flange and against said annular lip portion thereof comprises, a plurality of L- shaped feet circumferentially spaced around the inner walls of said first air plenum chamber, each of said feet having a flat base portion thereof lying flat against the inner cylindrical walls of said shell portion of said baffle and secured thereto, and further having an integral foot portion thereof disposed at right angles to said flat base portion and projecting inwardly therefrom, whereby said outer annular portion of said resilient mounting ring is disposed between said foot portion of each of said feet and said annular lip portion of said mounting flange, and whereby as said clamping bolts securely clamp said inner annular portion of said resilient mounting ring between said first and second annular rear flanges, said outer annular portion of said resilient mounting ring will tend to expand and thus will be pressed tightly against said shell portion of said mounting flange and will be securely clamped between said feet and said annular lip portion of said mounting flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,219,567 Spielman Oct. 29, 1940 2,296,359 Martinet Sept. 22, 1942 2,327,553 Ponselle Aug. 24, 1943 2,573,085 Yonkers Oct. 30, 1951 2,587,565 Yonkers Feb. 26, 1952 2,656,009 Kent Oct. 20, 1953 2,703,152 Petersen Mar. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 120,134 Sweden Nov. 11, 1947 695,246 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1953 

